


Hunter/Hunted

by Dusty_Forgotten (DustyForgotten)



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Character Study, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 20:18:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11928486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustyForgotten/pseuds/Dusty_Forgotten





	Hunter/Hunted

A steady march in silence: no radio, no overenthusiastic conversation. They’ve got a job— either a deadline or something direly important to have Erin this quiet.

Danse hopes it’s a deadline.

She usually resupplies at her adopted Red Rocket station before picking up company, but he’s been here before. Used her power armour rack, had dinner on the roof, with their feet off the edge. Erin would sit on the roof of every building she’s explored if she could. Addicted to the air, now that’s she’s out from underground.

Dogmeat’s already nudged the door open by the time they reach it, eager to get at his half-shredded teddy bear, throw it around a little more. Erin steps over him; Danse stays behind. 

There are two latches on the old steamer trunk, and when she throws it open, there’s a neat row of pistols strapped to the inside of the lid, which she props open with a shotgun.

“Take anything,” Erin says, standing, “but I don’t know if we’re fighting indoors or out, so  _ maybe _ leave the Fat Man.”

The Paladin furrows his brows. Every time she’s opened that trunk, he’s been glared at for standing too close. He looks down helplessly at the dog, teething his toy and completely blocking his path. “Are you… certain?”

Erin whistles, and Danse perks up as much as the dog. She points, and he looks just in time to see Dogmeat slink onto the salvaged couch cushion, toting his toy. “Good boy.” She grins, then looks up at Danse, and he pretends not to feel jealous her smile relaxes, just a little. “Yeah, I’ve got plasma guns, flamer, tesla rifle— you’re probably gonna want the gatling laser. It’s in there somewhere,” she says, with a vague gesture, turning into the office which now houses a bed across from the desk and terminal that still has its pre-war entries. Danse doesn’t understand how one can be unsure of where exactly they left a gatling laser— then he looks in that trunk, and it makes perfect sense. Hell, his old laser rifle’s in there, wedged between a gamma gun and that jury-rigged weapon from ArcJet. He finds the gatling laser underneath a missile launcher with a party hat taped to the rear. He doesn’t want to know.

Danse takes it as she suggested, and gingerly lowers the lid. “This is an excessive amount of firepower.”

“C’mere, I’ve got fusion cores for ya’.”

He taps the door open, where Erin’s shoulder-deep in a floor safe that had apparently been concealed by the loose tiles under the desk. Beside her lays an assortment of fusion cores, and two stealth boys. There’s a Gauss Rifle on the desk.

“Do you think we’ll need stealth boys?” Erin starts, almost instantaneously sitting back on her haunches. “Who am I kidding? He’ll know we’re coming.”

“What’s the mission?” Danse presses.

Erin pauses. Closes the safe, begins replacing floor tiles. “… We’re hunting a Courser.”

What expression he can see in profile is crestfallen, like she’s been up against this before, and backed down, but no one survives that.

Well, Erin might.


End file.
